


resurface

by janteu



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-08
Updated: 2015-12-08
Packaged: 2018-05-05 13:55:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5377688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janteu/pseuds/janteu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin is drowning in the ocean that is Nanase Haruka.</p>
            </blockquote>





	resurface

The sun isn’t up yet when Rin jogs past Iwatobi High, a gray-blue haze coloring the sky. Fog obscures his view of the pool, so he strays from the concrete path, padding through the grass and ignoring the morning dew dampening his shoes. Once the fog clears, he can see the smooth, almost still water of the pool.

He stops for a moment, eyeing the pool from the other side of the fence, and he can’t help but think of Haruka.

And then, as if on cue, something (or someone, rather) dives fluidly into the water, barely making a splash. Rin knows who it is before he can get a good look at the person’s face.

“Haru!” he yells, his face morphing into an odd expression that seems to be a cross between a scowl and a grin. Haruka barely acknowledges him, giving him only a glimpse of delighted blue eyes as he glides from one end of the pool to the other in three elegant strokes. “Oi! You’ll catch a cold!” Rin shouts, but he’s laughing and vaulting over the fence, remembering with a particularly strong bark of laughter that he’s wearing his swimsuit underneath his jogging attire.

Before he knows it, he’s shrugging out of his shirt and pants and racing towards the pool, soft wind brushing against his face as he stands before the water, panting slightly. It glows in the light of the tiniest sliver of sun showing itself over the horizon, shimmering with an ethereal sort of beauty. Rin stares at it for a moment, transfixed, before glancing up and meeting Haruka’s elated, glossy azure eyes. He dives into them.

The water is cold against his skin, but he welcomes it, every rush of water like a soothing caress. He smiles inwardly. It feels fresh, liberating.

And so he stays beneath the water’s surface for an eternity, hazily gazing up at Haruka’s graceful form as he sweeps over him. Everything seems to be glowing; shapes are indistinct and colors blend together, distorted by the water. It’s truly beautiful to be alone like this. And it suddenly occurs to him that this is the feeling Haruka seeks; this natural high that is so calm and yet so fervent at the same time. It’s invigorating.

Rin’s lungs begin to burn, urging him to break for air, and he doesn’t resist; he lets the water carry him upward and when he reaches the surface, he’s not even aware of his heavy gulps of air. He feel Haru before he sees him; thin, cool hands brushing across his back as he pants, and he grins, turning slowly to catch Haruka’s eyes. It’s silent, but it certainly doesn’t feel that way – not to Rin, at least – because when he’s around Haruka, his heart thrums in his chest and his thoughts whizz through his mind and nothing is ever calm.

They simply stare at each other, fascinated, until the sun begins to glow a bit brighter and the breeze is even softer. Droplets of water slip down tendrils of dark hair, each landing with a quiet plop in the still water of the pool. Haru’s eyes follow him, staring like they always do – reading him with such ease and such confidence. Rin wants to squirm but he doesn’t, instead reaching out with both hands to clasp Haruka’s shoulders, pale skin soft under his hands.

“Rin,” he hears Haruka breathe softly; fondly, and Rin is completely floored. Even Haruka’s voice is like the water, sucking him in and pulling him close – frightening and calm and euphoric all at the same time. There’s nothing he can do but lose himself in Haruka’s eyes, because here, in the water, Haruka is entirely in control. He wonders why that doesn’t bother him more.

So Rin doesn’t think – he just leans forward, brushing his lips against Haru’s; a silent way to communicate the things Rin can never explain with words. For the slightest moment, he thinks he’s in control, but when Haruka tilts his head ever-so-slightly and deep blue eyes slip closed, he’s sucked into the water again.

He can’t explain it, but it feels like coming home, drowning, and falling helplessly all at the same time. It tastes like chlorine and sweat and smoked mackerel; it smells like fragrant sakura blossoms on the spring breeze; it looks like the sleek surface of the water reflected in those oh-so-blue eyes – it’s everything. It’s Rin’s whole universe rolled into one perfect, never-ending moment.

He finally pulls away, breaths coming out in thick puffs of air, breaking the surface of the ocean that is Nanase Haruka.

But his break for air doesn’t last long – he plunges in again, wanting more more more. Each pair of lips collapses on the other like waves crashing on the shore, the quiet lull of the water so soft and yet so deafening. Haruka mumbles his name again, his voice barely above a whisper, and Rin knows that this just feels right – this is the right kind of drowning.

And when it ends, they’re laughing, breath coming in short, shallow gasps as they cry and laugh and hold each other because everything is exactly as it should be, and the thought alone is scary and wonderful all at the same time.

“Swim with me,” says Haruka. It’s simple; familiar.

And so they swim.


End file.
